Assigrnoe of



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. R. MATHEWSON;

Gab 1e Tramway for Carrying Cars Around Curves.

NO. 241,044. Patented May 3,188].

N. PETERS, FhotcrLikhognph'ar. Washington, D. C.

. (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. R. MATHEWSON.

Cable Tramway for Carrying Cars Around-Curves.

No. 241,044. Patented May-3,1881.

Fig.4.

N. PETERS. Ph Lifllogmpher. Washington. nc.

Unrrne Snares Arena rrrcE.

SEBRA It. MATHEWSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. SCRANTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CABLE-TRAMWAY FOR CARRYlNG CARS AROUND CURVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 241,044, dated May 3, 1881.

Application filed January 31, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SERRA It. MATHEWSON, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Cabio-Tramway for Carrying Cars Around Curves; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the construction of cable-roads to enable cars to pass around curves; and it consists in arranging a series ofupright rollers and intermediate plates within the tunnel in which the cable runs, the said rollers and intermediate plates forming a practically continuous surface, over which the cable and gripe passes, whereby the road may pass around curves and corners of streets, and the gripe be carriedsmoothly around said curves.

It further consists in the peculiar construction of the vertical and horizontal or guide rollers, wherebyfrictionis reduced, all of which will appear more fully by reference to the following specification, and to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. 3 1s a top view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a roller. Fig. 5 is a transverse horizontal section. tion of the pulley 1 The diificulty heretofore in constructing eable-roads which will permit cars to pass around curves has been in the fact that the gripe cannot, by reason of the strain of the cable, pass over the spaces between the rollers. The difficult-y of providing rollers having such little friction as to permit a cable to pass around a Fig. 6 is a seccurve has prevented any attempt to make a dering the passage of the gripe around the curve possible.

Let A represent a tunnel, and B the slot. lVithin the tunnel are the horizontal supports C, secnrcly'fastened.

Bolted to the lower support C, as shown, is the box or shell D, which is packed with a number of small rollers, E, leaving-just space enough for the axle, as hereinafter explained.

In the bottom of the shell D is a steel step, F. The rim'of the said shell D is provided with a raised flange or collar, G.

Above the shell or box D is the vertical roller 11, having a shaft, I, fitting within the shellD in the space left by the rollers E, and resting upon the steel step F, using it as an end hearing, while the rollers act as side bearings for the shaft I. The rim of the roller H fits over the collar G of the shell D, and thus forms a practically d ust-tightjoint. In the shell D, on the side in the rear of the tunnel, is the hole a, into which a bent tube, 1), is inserted, whereby the roller-bearings may be oiled, and the amount of oil regulated. The upper part of the roller I1 is formed into a shell or box, in the bottom of which is a steel step, J, and in which are packed a number of rollers, S, similar to those in the shell D. The upper rim of the roller H is provided with a collar similar to the collar Cr upon the shell I). These rollerbearings, in both boxes, are not supported in any way, butare simply placed in loosely, having no other support than themselves.

Secured by bolts to the upper horizontalsupport C is the cap K, provided with a shaft, L, which enters the roller-bearing in the box or shell in the roller H, and rests upon the steel step in the bottom. K fits over the collar on the shell, and at this point, as belo\v,forms adust-tight joint. This completes the construction of the vertical rollers.

It will be seen that, the shell D and the cap K being fixed, the roller H will revolve upon The rim of the cupits step F and roller-bearings below within the box D, and will carry its own step and rollerbearings about,the shaft L of the cap K above Very little friction will be upon the end bearings, they simply carrying the weight of the other attention given to them.

roller H. The friction will result from the straining of the cable on the sides of the rollers, and therefore the roller-bearin gs are there placed to diminish the friction. The upper bearings are oiled through an opening through the upper support 0 and the cap K.

Between the horizontal supports or beams U, I place a number of these rollers H close together and of course upon the inside of the curve but, however close 1 mi ghtplace them, there would still be spaces between them, which would not allow a gripeto pass over them without jarring. Between the rollers, therefore, I bolt to the supports G the vertical plates M, having smooth outer faces, and so placed that they do not extend quite to the plane of the rollers H, so that when the cable is running it runs only upon the rollers; but when the gripe is passing they serve to direct it from one roller to another without jar, because they will allow it to be forced but little out of the line of travel by the straining of the cable. If the cable did not so force the gripe out of line, as it would not if running in a straight line, the gripe would follow the cable from one roller to another without jar; but when running hard or around a curve it will force the gripe enough out of line to cause it toj ara-gainst the rollers; but these plates M will not allow the gripe to be forced enough out of line to cause this jar, but will direct it to the next roller, as if it had one continuous rolling surface. The vertical rollers and the vertical plates therefore form practically a continuous surface, when such is necessary,for the passage of the gripe. These vertical plates M serve a further purpose of bracing the horizontal supports 0.

In the rear of the rollers and between them I place other vertical braces, N, to assist the plates M in bracing the supports 0. The supports thus braced will not bear upon the ver tical rollers H and cause them to run hard.

To the plates M are fastened the shafts 0. Upon these shafts revolve the horizontal or guide rollers 1?. These rollers 1? have a central hollow or shell, in which are packed small rollers Q around the shafts O, the rollers P thus having roller-bearin gs upon the said shaft. The rollers P have an inwardly-projectin g rim covering half the ends of the rollers Q, and thus preventing them from falling out; orthe end of the shafts 0 might be made to receive a nut, which, when screwed up against the rollers, would hold them in place. These rollers P are for the purpose of receiving the cable along the line where the gripe doesnot raiseit up. It is obious that oil can be easily introduced into the bearings of these rollers 1 The tunnel A will be constructed large enough to admit a workman between the vertical rollers, whereby they can be repaired or By taking outthe bolts any one of the rollers can be removed without stopping the cable. When a roller is removed the other rollers, with the intervenin g plates, will conduct the gripe safely.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a curved tube or tunnel having a traveling cable moving within it, the means for supporting and guiding said cable around the curve, consisting of a series of vertical rollers withintervenin g vertical plates, supported so as to form a nearly continuous moving and guiding surface upon the inside of the curve, substantially as described.

2. The series of vertical rollers H, placed closely together on the inside of the curve of a tube or tunnel, within which the traveling cable moves, whereby the change of direction of said cable is accomplished, in combination with the intervening vertical plates M, the outer faces of which form a curve of slightly less radius than that of the exterior of the rollers, whereby the cable is carried around the curve without touching the plates, while the gripe moved by the cable will be supported by these plates, so as not to drop between the rollers, substantially as herein described.

3. In combination with a cable-tube having a series of rollers, H, placed upon the inside of the curve, so as to support and guide the cable as its direction is changed, the intervening "ertical plates M, having their faces set slightly within the line of the curve traveled by the cable, said plates serving to support the cable and maintain its direction during the removal or substitution of any one or more of the rollers, substantially as described.

4. The stationary shell or box D, having the movable step 13, to support the end of the roller-shaft I, and the rollers E, packed around said shaft within the shell, so that it may rotate freely between them, in combination with the cable-supporting roller H, consisting of a hollow case, having a step, J, and set of rollers S within it, and the stationary cap K, having a spindle, L, which enters the space between these rollers and guides and supports the rollers H in its movements, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the vertical cable supporting and guiding roller H, havingit-s journals supported and guided between the antifrietion rollers E packed within the stationary ease D and within itself or the stationary cap K, the case D, and the cap K, said roller H, case D, and cap being provided with flanges fitted to each other to prevent the entrance of dust, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a cable tube or tunnel formed in a curve, the vertical guiding-rollers H, arranged therein, whereby the cable is supported and its direction changed, and the vertical intervening plates M, as shown, the hollow horizontal rollers I, having the antifrietional rollers Q packed within them and surrounding a stationary pin, 0, which is secured to the vertical plate M, whereby the cable is prevented from dropping off the vertical rollers H and friction is prevented, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a curved cable tube or tunnel, the curved horizontal plates 0, seers are protected from end pressure or friction, cured to the supporting frames or brackets of substantially as described. [0 the tube, and having the "ertical oable-guid- In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my iug rollers H, supported between them, said hand.

plates being united and braced by the vertical plates M and N between the vertical rollers at \Vitnesses: front and rear, whereby the frame is enabled FRANK A. BRooKs, to resist the strain from the cable, and the roll- S. H. NOURSE.

SEBRA R. MATHEWSON. 

